While a rather worrying measles epidemic has affected France since 2008, Inserm researchers have looked into the mechanism of contamination of this disease, trying to find out why the measles virus is one of the most common viruses. more contagious.
Some 21,000 cases of measles have already been observed in France since the start of the epidemic in 2008, against around quarantine in 2007. To spread as quickly from one organism to another, it would seem that the measles virus ” leaves “its host by using a particular receptor (nectin-4) which is located in the trachea, a privileged anatomical site because it facilitates the rapid contagion by the airways (via the postilions and the sneezes among others).
4 reasons to get vaccinated
To cope with this measles epidemic, the Ministry of Health has launched, since mid-October, a campaign to encourage vaccination, aimed at adolescents and young adults. “The only effective way not to catch measles is to be vaccinated” remind the health authorities on the info-rougeole.fr site, giving the good reasons to be vaccinated:
– Because the disease most often affects adolescents and young adults who have not benefited from the booster vaccine they did at the age of one year and have lost their immunity.
– Because the vaccine is necessary to protect others and make the disease go away.
– Because the vaccine is safe and well tolerated.
– Because the vaccine is covered at 100% for all children and adolescents up to and including 17 years of age (it is reimbursed at 65% from the age of 18).
How do you know if you are protected?
If you or your child has not had measles, ask your doctor to check your vaccines in the health card or vaccination card.
If you no longer have your vaccination record, have never contracted measles and were born after 1980, you should consider that you are not protected against measles. It is recommended that you get vaccinated with two doses of MMR vaccine. MMR vaccination can be given without any particular risk to people who have already had one or more of these diseases or who have already received one or more of these vaccines.
To note : if you have been vaccinated, take all precautions to avoid pregnancy for two months after vaccination. However, a vaccination carried out accidentally in a pregnant woman should not lead to a medical termination of pregnancy notice.
